A PROLIFIC Oxford burglar with 96 previous convictions has been jailed for a further 54 crimes.

Alexander Walker was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Monday, after admitting two burglaries and another attempted burglary.

He also asked for an additional 51 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

Police said the homeless 31-year-old brought “misery to dozens of homeowners” but stressed they were still looking for his accomplices.

On Monday, Walker admitted stealing a laptop computer and jewellery from a home in Hayfield Road, North Oxford, on September 10 last year.

He had earlier admitted stealing wallets and electrical devices from a home in Rewley Road, near the city’s railway station, on February 12 this year and the attempted burglary of a home in North Street, Osney Island, on April 4.

The offences taken into consideration took place between October 2010 and April this year.

Jailing him for a total of three years, Judge Gordon Risius said: “This is another case where school days which offered great promise turned to a seemingly endless circle of crime and custodial sentences, through addiction initially to drugs.

“You managed to rid yourself of addiction to heroin, only for it to be replaced with an addiction to alcohol.”

Judge Risius said the public had “suffered a great deal, particularly recently” by Walker’s actions, but told him: “If you can overcome your addiction, you have a real potential to live a productive and useful life.”

Speaking after the hearing, Pc David Kuttner, of Oxford CID, said: “Walker is a prolific burglar, targeting all kinds of properties across the city, bringing misery to dozens of homeowners.

“He stole large amounts of personal possessions and most probably sold them immediately to raise cash.

“We’re still actively looking for this property to return it to its rightful owners.

“It’s our belief that Walker was assisted during this crime spree. He deserves to be in prison for the crimes he committed but so do those who assisted him.

”I urge people to come forward with information that would help identify and convict Walker’s co-offenders.”

TARGET LIST

THE 51 other offences Walker asked to be taken into consideration happened in:

Marlborough Road, Grandpont: Nine burglaries.

Rewley Road, central Oxford: Seven burglaries.

Rutherway, North Oxford: Six burglaries.

West Street, Osney Island: Two burglaries.

Hodge Court, Grandpont: Three burglaries.

Western Road, Grandpont: Three burglaries.

Southmoor Road, North Oxford: Two burglaries.

Warnborough Road, North Oxford; South Street, Osney Island; Abbey Road, West Oxford; William Lucy Way, Jericho; Vicarage Lane, South Oxford; Walton Crescent, Jericho; Newton Road, Grandpont; Museum Road, central Oxford; Botley Road, West Oxford; Leckford Road, North Oxford; School Place, South Oxford; Swan Street, Osney Island; Bridge Street, Osney Island, and Jowett Walk, central Oxford: Single burglaries in each street.

Source: Thames Valley Police. Offences between October 2010 and April 2012. No details available of individual burglaries.